Gosh, doesn’t time fly? In just over an hour I’ll be back at the despatch box in the House of Commons answering Transport Questions. Forty-five minutes of questions from the order paper plus supplementaries, followed by 15 minutes of topical questions (a recent innovation that has received mixed reviews).

A huge amount of preparation goes into these events, whatever department you’re a minister in. I head for the Commons with a very impressive red folder, adorned in gold with “ER”, full to the brim with briefings which, frankly, I’m never going to have time to read. Then, at about 2.20pm I’ll head to the area behind the Speaker’s chair where I meet my fellow ministers and my officials, who may or may not have some additional briefing material for me not to read.

Then the Commons division bell sounds to signal the arrival of the Speaker in his procession and those who choose to do so can attend the Chamber for three minutes of prayers. I usually go in for that part on the basis that I need all the help I can get.

Anyway, an hour and 15 minutes to go. So why the hell am I wasting my time blogging when I should be swotting up?!